The German joins Devon Loch and Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle in the sporting collapses Hall of Fame.
Martin Kaymer started today’s final round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship six shots ahead of the chasing group and looked odds on to claim yet another victory in the Middle East when he birdied three of the opening four holes to take a ten-shot lead.
You’d imagine at that point the German was fairly confident of cruising back to the clubhouse, and therein, perhaps, lay his downfall, as he suffered a massive meltdown to finish third, three shots behind winner Gary Stal of France.
Kaymer managed to drop an incredible six shots in seven holes around the turn, including a triple bogey seven on the par-four 13th, to fall behind the charging Stal, who carded six birdies in seven holes to take the lead.
McIlroy also began to sniff a victory and a six footer at the 15th saw him move into joint second with the hapless Kaymer looking for a large hole to hide in as he struggled to get anything right.
Kaymer did manage to hit pars all the way until the finish from that horror show on 13, but McIlroy wasn’t finished yet and despite pulling a drive into the sand on 18 his pitch came within centimetres of rolling in to join Stal on 19 under.
Rory comes within inches of joining Stal at -19. #ADChamps http://t.co/CmJpVVJIrt
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 18, 2015
But it wasn’t to be and it ended with another runner-up position for McIlroy,and Stal winning the title after a final round of 65.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry was one of those impressed by the Frenchman’s nerve under pressure:
Fair play to Gary Stal. The French are producing some great young players these days.
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) January 18, 2015
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